Jiraiya's eyes sparkled with interest.
"I want to learn that jutsu too."
Hiruzen gave a long, sagely sigh, puffing on his pipe.
"It's not that I don't want to teach you... That's a 'sacred tool' reserved for the Hokage. You're still too young, you wouldn't understand."
"Tch," Jiraiya scoffed, shooting him a disdainful look before turning and walking off.
Behind him, Hiruzen called out casually, "And don't forget to bring back those new photo collections, Jonin Jiraiya."
Jiraiya glanced back in disbelief. Jonin? Just a minute ago, he was calling him "my student"...
==========
Outside the Hokage's office, Jiraiya turned to the trio, taking a deep breath.
"Alright, it's time to begin our first real mission."
"This time, I won't lift a finger, it's all on you."
Yuki Seisui raised an eyebrow at him. Where does he even get the nerve to say that?
Uchiha Haru echoed his thoughts aloud, her tone puzzled:
"Jiraiya-sensei, when have you ever lifted a finger?"
"Haven't we been doing all the work this entire time?"
Jiraiya was momentarily at a loss for words, then coughed awkwardly and changed the subject.
"Let's just head out. Pretend I'm not even here."
With that, he tossed a scroll to Yuki Seisui.
It was the mission scroll. All the intel was written down, so there was no need for him to explain.
Yuki Seisui unrolled it briefly, then turned to Minato and Haru.
"As Jiraiya-sensei mentioned yesterday, it's a mountain bandit extermination mission."
"These bandits have been attacking merchant caravans along the road between Konoha and the capital. It's a bit of a distance from here, but if we travel efficiently, we can reach it in two days."
Minato and Haru nodded.
"Alright, then let's move out."
==========
Soon, the four were outside the village. Yuki Seisui, Minato, and Haru led the way, while Jiraiya walked at a relaxed pace behind them, hands behind his head.
It was Minato's first time truly leaving the village. His eyes wandered everywhere, filled with curiosity.
Sure, they'd helped harvest rice in the outskirts before, but that was still basically the village limits, just fields and nothing more.
"The outside looks pretty much the same as the inside," Minato observed aloud.
"What were you expecting?" Yuki Seisui gave him a side glance, shaking his head like a disappointed parent.
"When will you finally grow up, Minato?"
"I practically watched you grow up, and you're still the same as ever."
"...Huh?" Minato blinked in confusion.
That doesn't sound right, he thought.
But then again, it was technically true, they had grown up together. Still, the way he phrased it felt incredibly off.
"Pfft~" Haru couldn't help but laugh at the exchange.
"You little punk!" Minato's face darkened as he lunged forward, trying to pin Yuki Seisui down.
"I'll show you what I'm made of!"
"Give it up, Minato. You'll never surpass me!"
"Bastard! One day I will catch up!"
Minato found himself flipped over and pinned by Yuki Seisui in seconds.
"Don't forget, I was born with monstrous strength!" Yuki Seisui added with a smug grin.
"And just so we're clear, I don't swing that way. Go chase after Kushina like you're supposed to!"
Jiraiya, trailing behind, watched the scene unfold and slowly shook his head.
So familiar… He thought nostalgically. I remember when Orochimaru and I used to bicker just like that...
How time flies... We're all elite Jonin now.
He let out a sigh.
==========
As ninjas, their travel speed was fast. It didn't take two days, in just a day and a half, they arrived near their target location.
Minato squinted at the bandit camp in the distance. In broad daylight, the bandits were having a party.
"Are these guys for real?" Minato muttered. "So lazy..."
Yuki Seisui shook his head.
"Pretty normal, actually."
"Bandits like these are used to pillaging defenseless villagers. When you're used to zero resistance, you naturally lower your guard. Even when robbing merchants, it's the same story."
"So, how are we wiping them out?" Haru asked, unfazed. She just wanted to finish the mission and go play with Yuki Seisui.
"How?" Yuki Seisui blinked. "We go in head-on, of course!"
Minato looked at the dozens of bandits gathered.
"Head-on?"
"Shouldn't we... sneak in or something?"
Yuki Seisui grinned, drawing the sword at his waist.
"What's 'stealth'?"
"Never learned it!"
"As long as no one's left alive, then no one saw us. That's perfect stealth, right?"
"Let me show you what I've been hiding for the past three months."
He raised his blade high, and with a flash of steel,
"These lowly bandits are nothing to fear!"
"I'll go first, follow my lead!"
==========
Jiraiya crossed his arms behind them and shook his head again.
"Still too young... too reckless."
But he didn't intervene. His only role in this mission was to ensure their survival.
Outside the bandit camp, four drunken guards leaned lazily against the front gate. Though the rest of the bandits were partying, these four had their own stash of wine and were equally inebriated.
"Huh? You guys see that... that thing coming at us?" one of them slurred, pointing at the approaching Yuki Seisui.
"Izzat... lemme see..." another peered over blearily. He wasn't as drunk as the others, and when he saw the headband on Yuki Seisui's forehead, his pupils shrank.
"He's a—"
Before he could finish the sentence, Yuki Seisui blurred past all four. The sound of his blade echoed.
He stood behind them, slowly sheathing his sword.
One of the bandits glanced down in disbelief, only for his head to topple off his shoulders, eyes still blinking.
Yuki Seisui didn't spare them another look as he spoke coolly:
"Iaijutsu: Water Severing Strike."
As he exhaled, the heads of the remaining three dropped to the ground in a fountain of blood.
Minato and Haru arrived just in time to see the aftermath.
"Let's move in. Don't worry about any of them escaping," Yuki Seisui said coldly, glancing at his teammates.
Minato and Haru exchanged glances, uncertain, but nodded nonetheless.
In this squad, aside from Jiraiya, Yuki Seisui was their team leader. His orders came first.
Inside the camp, the bandits were drunk and distracted. No one was watching the entrance.
But little did they know, death often arrives in moments like this.
Yuki Seisui entered calmly, blade still sheathed, moving slowly and deliberately.
Minato and Haru followed behind without question.
Though unsure of what Yuki Seisui was planning, their trust in him ran deep.
Even in a drunken mess, not all the bandits were unconscious. A few with higher tolerance noticed them.
"Who the hell are you?!"
Yuki Seisui glanced around the camp, ignoring the question. He extended a hand into the air and spoke:
"Duel Arena – Battle Mode!"
"Prepare to die."
=============
95+ Advance Chapters Available on Patreon.com/Veltoria
100 Power Stones = Bonus Chapter
Add to Library to support